The situation that has developed in connection with the sanctions of Western countries against Russia has affected the Russian pharmaceutical market. Some large pharmaceutical distributors have suspended deliveries to pharmacies in order to recalculate prices. Experts estimate that pharmaceutical distributors typically have a three to five month supply of medicines. Izvestia found out whether there could be difficulties with the availability of imported and Russian medicines.
The situation on the pharmaceutical market
In the current conditions, it is difficult to predict anything, but, most likely, in the next month or two, the shortage of medicines will not be strongly felt, says Elena Alekseeva, commercial director of the Sverdlovsk pharmacy chain Raduga.
According to her, now pharmacy chains are trying to buy from manufacturers and distributors the remains of imported drugs at the same prices. Some chains buy drugs in reserve, including Russian manufacturers. In addition, starting from February 24, some pharmacies raised prices by 5-10%, the specialist emphasized.
However, the main problem may not be the cost, but the availability of medicines, the commercial director of Raduga emphasized. She suggested that the difficulty may not be in production capacity, but in the availability of raw materials. Potentially, China and India will be able to provide all the necessary volume for the production of medicines, she believes.
Clients buy some medicines six months in advance. It is highly likely that medicines for chronic diseases will be among the first to disappear from the shelves, Alekseeva noted.
“Antidepressants are ordered, but there is no clear increase in the volume of orders. But there is a general increase in orders for all categories of drugs. It is difficult even to single out any specific groups. Unless they order more than another for chronic diseases, ”she said.
According to the specialist, there has been an increase in the number of requests for the sale of prescription drugs without a prescription, which pharmacies are not allowed to do.
“Usually, in case of refusal to sell a prescription drug without a prescription, customers call several pharmacy chains, and only then go to pharmacies. Most of the time you can buy. Either due to the inattention or connivance of the pharmacist, or through manipulation, ”she stated.
At the same time, Valentina Buchneva, head of the Eurasian division of the pharmaceutical company Bosnalek, noted that the most important category of drugs on the pharmaceutical market, included in the List of Essential Medicines, is protected from price increases, since prices for them are allowed to rise only once a year. according to the rate of inflation.
When stocks run out
Russia is still dependent on the import of pharmaceutical substances and their intermediates, Elena Popova, a cardiologist and medical director of the PharmaLogika company, told Izvestia. According to her, the growth of the dollar and the euro are not the most important reasons for the upcoming interruption in the availability of medicines in pharmacies.
“The biggest blow is the disruption of logistics. Due to the closed airspace and the refusal of some sea carriers to deliver goods to Russia, it became impossible to deliver not only medicines, but also substances for their production. Pharmaceutical distributors have a certain supply of medicines, but usually it is formed for 3-5 months,” she said.
Situation in the dental market
Most dental materials, including implants, instruments, equipment, are produced abroad, so in the near future the industry may face delays in deliveries and a multiple increase in prices for materials due to exchange rate differences and the cost of the dollar, said Mikhail Saulin, orthopedic dentist, candidate of medical sciences. Sciences PMGMU them. THEM. Sechenov.
According to the expert, now patients who follow a long protocol with implantation, crowns, veneers may not feel much difference, since all materials are pre-ordered and set aside for them. But those who are just starting treatment may face price increases of 30% depending on the complexity and quantity of materials, and in the worst case, a shortage of consumables, he lamented.
“There are no Russian or even Chinese analogues comparable in terms of quality, therefore, in the next two months, a global transformation of the entire dental market may occur,” he believes.
Andrey Yaremenko, president of the Russian professional association, told Izvestiya on March 4 that some private dental clinics had raised prices by 10-15%. He attributed this to increased demand and the fact that consumables and equipment for clinics are mainly imported from abroad.
At the same time, Yaremenko said that there is domestic production in Russia, and from partner countries like China, India and Pakistan, you can bring products of “decent quality”, so a crisis in the industry is not expected.
Problems with the supply of foreign goods are observed in Russia in connection with the sanctions of Western countries, which were introduced after Moscow launched an operation to protect the Donbass on February 24. In connection with the restrictions, the ruble exchange rate is also falling.
On March 9, the State Duma proposed to legislate prices for socially significant goods. They pointed out that the rise in prices for imported products can be understood, but the rise in price of Russian goods “is associated with the desire of merchants to fix their profits in foreign currency and cash in on the general difficult situation.”
The Ministry of Industry and Trade also stated that they had met the needs of large retail chains and allowed to limit the sale of a number of goods to one hand in order to combat dealers. So federal and regional networks wanted to minimize the risks of speculators purchasing socially significant food products.
Shortly before the start of the operation in Donbass, the situation in the region escalated due to shelling by the Ukrainian military. The authorities of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) announced the evacuation of civilians to the Russian Federation.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of the LPR and DPR, as well as treaties of friendship and mutual assistance.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
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